Many, but not all, states across the country celebrate Juneteenth, a day commemorating the end of slavery. Major General Gordon Granger's announcement on June 19, 1865 at Galveston, Texas that all slaves were free came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation--issued on January 1, 1863.

"The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger's regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance."